Royal Savoy Hotel

Arrived on the 6th January 2006 after making a booking for our honeymoon. Despite a request for a sea view in the Royal Savoy we were given a room in the Classic Savoy overlooking the car park. The room was tired, dirty, dark, and very gloomy.
I understand that the Classic Savoy is going to be pulled down and replaced. Hopefully this will be soon.
After several telephone conversations back to the UK with Atlantic Holidays who I booked with, it became apparent that unless I paid a substantial amount more I would not be moved to the Royal Savoy. The Hotel staff were very unhelpful on this matter and operated with the knowledge that I would pay the difference rather than disappoint my new wife.
The hotel, I was told only had a 30% occupancy and it would not have made any difference to them if they had moved me. The Manager was most unhelpful and did not bother to even come to speak with me. He relayed messages that if I wanted the room I thought I had booked then I would have to pay another £350. I did think this was rather mean and deliberate, I thought they had given me the worst room in the entire complex on purpose knowing I would pay. I paid the additional amount and we were moved to the Royal Savoy.
The hotels are like chalk and cheese and the Royal is very stylish, comfortable, and clean. The staff all round were very good and tried to make your stay special. The standard of food was excellent in all the restaurants with a very special meal being had on the Friday night to celebrate our first week of married life.
The restaurant is the Fleur de Lys and served excellent shell fish. The restaurant ironically is located on the top floor of the Classic Savoy and offers magnificent views of the surrounding area. A jacket and tie are required by men and the service provided did make for a special occasion.
Overall I would recommend the Royal. It offers an excellent standard of accommodation and service backed up by fantastic food and luxurious facilities both indoors and out. We would definitely return at some point. We often visit Madeira and have stayed at Reids Palace Hotel on previous occasions (we were engaged at Reids). You cannot really compare the 2 hotels as they are miles apart in many different ways. Yet only a couple of hundred yards geographically. I would recommend you visit both as I have done, you won’t be disappointed.

Nowhere else can even compare. I have been three times now and cannot wait to return.
The staff are friendly, eager to help and speak outstanding English, although they are also very helpful for anybody trying to speak Portuguese.
The food is first class and there is always an amazing choice of fresh vegetables, meat, fish and salad. The reps are always on hand to help with anything.
The pool area is always clean and tidy thanks to the fantastic pool boys and the pools themselves are impeccable (although be warned the outdoor ones are both salt water).
The rooms are amazing with housekeeping seeming to work around the clock. They have everything you could possibly desire and the televisions in the rooms have a DVD so people traveling with young children can keep them easily entertained.
The hotel organises top quality transfers from Funchal airport (which is about a 15-20 minute drive away depending on traffic).
The only down point I could find the is the old Hotel Savoy (which is separate from the Royal Savoy and connected by a small footbridge) is in need of a refurbishment, however, I understand that work is in progress on that as I write this and it should be finished very soon.
A holiday of a lifetime, if you can go there, do.